Lost smiles, withered childhood: 29 children rescued in Cyberabad in Nov 2021

Hyderabad: Three children aged between eight and 14 were made to work from dawn to dusk for more than 12 hours without any break in a bangle manufacturing unit under the Mailardevpally police station limits. Covered in fine dust from head to toe, the children look tired, thin, and unhealthy. They were living in unhygienic conditions in small rooms without ventilation. They got no holidays. The children were suffering from malnutrition, stunted growth, and other health issues.

According to the data released by the Cyberabad police, in November 2021 the police, under Operation Smile, rescued 29 children who were working as rag pickers, child labourers, beggars, and those living in the streets. Out of the 29, 24 were boys. Seven of the 29 were from other states. The remaining 22 children – 17 boys and five girls – were sent to shelter homes.

Out of the 29 children rescued in November this year, 11 boys were child labourers; two boys and five girls were beggars; four boys were abandoned; four were rag pickers; and two boys had run away from their homes.

Five cases were registered against the persons who used the children for labour. The children were produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and sent to various shelter homes. Children in the shelter homes are being sent to school.

Children rescued from factories, streets

On 3 November 2021 at 10.30 am, the Shamshabad police received a complaint and visited the bangles unit under Mailardevpally police station limits. The police found that for the last six months, Mohammed Ameer Ashan (25) of Bihar was using the children to make bangles. He had brought three children from Jharkhand by promising to take care of them and provide them work. An FIR was filed against the accused by the Mailardevpally police.

Later, the children were sent to Saidabad Government Children's Home after producing them before CWC, Ranga Reddy.

On 13 November, the Madhapur Operation Smile team rescued a 10-year-old boy from DLF, Gachibowli. He told the officers his father had brought him on a two-wheeler and left him after giving him food and Rs. 500 cash. He had asked the boy to go wherever he wanted and left. The Madhapur team along with ChildLine rescued the boy and CWC, District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), sent him to a shelter home.

According to the police, the child was a runaway. His parents were traced and he was handed over to them. The parents told the police that he had run away from home because his father had admonished him for not going to school regularly.

On 28 October 2021, the Madhapur Operation Smile team received a call from a 16-year-old girl who said her family was planning to get her married. She requested the police to stop the marriage and expressed her desire to continue her studies.

The team along with Miyapur SHE Team and ChildLine members went to the girl's house and counseled the family to stop the marriage. However, the parents went ahead with the marriage preparations. The Madhapur Operation Smile team informed CWC and the girl was handed over to Sakhi Homes.

On 1 November, the Madhapur team rescued a 10-year-old boy from Mithra Hills, KPHB. He was found begging on the roads. The boy said his parents were dead and there was no one to take care of him. The team informed the CWC, DCPU, and sent him to a shelter home.

On 12 November, the Balanagar Operation Smile team rescued two girls and a two-year-old boy. They were found begging near the Gandimaisamma signal. They said they were forced by their parents to beg. The boy was being given toddy by the parents to keep him unconscious. They thought it was an easy way to make money.

As the children were ready to study and were unwilling to go back to their parents, the Balanagar team along with Childline rescued them and informed CWC, DCPU. They were sent to a shelter home.